Intelligence from the Sea: U.S. Naval Humint in Crises with China

The U.S. Navy has a rich history in conflicts with China. Between 1931 and 1965, naval services collected, analyzed, and applied intelligence in crises in the Asia Pacific. The U.S. Navy, which had been one of the sole collectors of foreign intelligence prior to World War II, underwent a series of institutional transformations as the Office of Strategic Services (OSS) and, later, the CIA, were established. Quiet Wars is the first book to document how and why the Navy developed its HUMINT (human intelligence) capabilities during this key period.

Author Brian J. Ellison presents four case studies of naval HUMINT during crises with China. Part I examines intelligence gathering by the Navy and Marine Corps in China, beginning with the Japanese invasion of Manchuria in 1931. The role of naval HUMINT changed after December 7, 1941, and again with the resumption of the Chinese Civil War; this is the focus of Part II. Part III is a study of the Taiwan crises in the 1950s, and Part IV explores intelligence activities against North Vietnam and China in the 1960s.

Dr. Brian Ellison has nearly two decades of experience leading research in national security, in which he has specialized in Chinese strategic affairs, naval warfare, and intelligence. His work has led to significant policy, operational, and institutional changes within OSD, the Navy, Marine Corps, and intelligence community. Before joining the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, where he leads the Strategy and Organizational Team, he was a senior research scientist at the Center for Naval Analysis, where he provided on-site research and problem-solving support to the commanders of Fleet Forces Command; Carrier Strike Group Three; Marine Corps Forces Pacific (MARFORPAC); Marine Forces, Korea and; Paladin East (Afghanistan). In 2014, he was awarded the Commendation for Meritorious Civilian Service by Commander, MARFORPAC for his research and analysis of the Marine Corps’ organizational challenges in the Indo-Pacific. His study for Fleet Forces and OPNAV N2/N6 on the Navy’s HUMINT enterprise led to near-term changes in the U.S.’ shift to great power competition. He has a PhD in war studies from Kings College, London, and an MA in international security from American University.